Around Town

PHOTOS: Rain doesn’t dampen spirits for thousands attending Art on the Avenue in Del Ray

By James Cullum
Crowded outdoor market street with white vendor tents on both sides and many shoppers.
Framed LEGO minifigure art on a grid display at an outdoor festival, with shoppers walking along a street in the background.
Group of people on a stage during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a woman holding oversized red scissors is prominent in the foreground.
Smiling man in a blue jacket holds an open wooden box displaying colorful bow ties at an outdoor market stall.
A smiling woman seated on a stool in an art gallery surrounded by colorful landscape paintings on walls and easels.
Smiling woman in a red jacket holds a pink ceramic flower-shaped bowl at a pottery stall.
Smiling couple posing for a photo in a crowded outdoor market with white vendor tents in the background.
Male conductor in a white polo shirt raises a baton while leading an outdoor band, with a microphone and large speaker nearby and musicians seen from behind.
Diverse audience seated outdoors, many people clapping at an event or performance.
Three women at a book booth under a white tent, smiling and holding books.
Live band performing on a stage with a dancing couple on a wooden platform in front of the crowd, outdoors at a festival.
Two police officers stand beside a dark police SUV with blue lights in a residential street in front of a brick building and sidewalk
Two people stand beside a display of colorful stained-glass panels at an outdoor market stall.
Two smiling adults pose together at an outdoor market with white canopy tents in the background.
A smiling man in a black Crooked Run hoodie stands under a colorful festival tent with a sign for Pickle and International Food Festival nearby.
Two women stand smiling on a street fair, with tents and people in the background.
Smiling woman in black zip jacket stands behind a street market stall with framed photos and mugs for sale on display shelves and hanging photos behind her
Crowd walks along an outdoor market with white vendor tents on both sides, browsing displays.
Smiling woman sits in a director's chair inside a white tent, surrounded by colorful landscape paintings on display at an art fair.
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Despite spots of rain, thousands of people attended the 31st annual Art on the Avenue festival in Del Ray on Saturday (Oct. 6).

Hundreds of juried artists sold their work, live music was performed on four stages and the event welcomed a number of new businesses to the neighborhood. The event also shut down Mount Vernon Avenue from Hume to Bellefonte Avenues.

Saturday was the second time in three years that Alexandria photographer Kari Frontera sold her travel photos from around the world.

“We had really nice weather two years ago,” Frontera said. “So, the rain doesn’t help today, but it’s definitely not bad. We’ve had pretty decent-sized groups today.”

The event is held the first Saturday of every October, and included more than 300 juried artists, music on four stages, and dozens of activities for all ages.

The next big event in Del Ray is its Halloween parade on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Ribbon cutting photo via Visit Del Ray/Facebook

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.